Thread: Goldberry

Jehanne has made 184 posts and is from and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

Hey, Eldar, welcome!

Nope, she's not an elf. She (like Tom) might be one of the Maiar, but that's not really clear. She seems to be some sort of water-spirit, like her mother (since she's called the "River-daughter"). I always pictured her like a classical water nymph, like Daphne only without the whole tree thing. Goldberry's origins are pretty mysterious though (not unlike Tom's really. Fun couple).

Allyssa has made 1657 posts and is an Elf from Rivendell and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

Hello again Eldar. We met in the chat room remember?

The Maiar are "lesser spirits", but not physically children of the Valar. It is popularly believed that Gandalf and the Istari were lesser Maiar. Kinda explains a lot doesn't it? The Maiar were able to take a physical form or body if they wished. Melian the queen of Doriath was another Maiar who inhabbited Middle Earth.

Grondmaster has made 25465 posts and is a Dwarf from Glittering Caves and has sailed into the West.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

Welcome to the forum Eldar.

Yes, Goldberry appears in Tolkiens poem, 'The Adventures of Tom Bombadil' which can be found in 'The Tolkien Reader' which is now out of print. I have a ninth printing: May 1970 of Ballantine Books, Inc. paperback, for which I paid 95 cents US when it was new. Its pages are now quite yellowed, but holding to their binding.

I posted a snippet of this poem on 5/2/2002 at 03:50 under 'General Discussion' and 'Trivia: Barad-dur'.

That's an interesting idea! I never pictured the father of the dwarves as a singing woodsman with yellow boots and a really bad hat... He seems altogether too cheerful to be a smith. Goldberry as Yavanna? Maybe. She does seem to have a certain "power" or "aura" about her. I could never understand what she saw in Tom though.

Ungoliant has made 1009 posts and is from and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

I remember reading a convincing argument about it a few years ago, although the ones about them being Maias are more convincing I guess. The argument (TB & G = Valar) was more tongue-in-cheek, but it made some good points.

It had something to do with Tom being totally unaffected by the One Ring - all other Maias feared to use it. And since Sauron was a Maia himself, it followed that only a Vala would be strong enough to resist the power of the ring.

Also something about Yavanna being dressed in green all the time - like Goldberry. The essay also contemplated on the possibility that Tom & Goldberry (Aule & Yavanna) lived incognito on ME in order to keep an eye on Aule's children, Yavanna's trees & stuff - since Sauron had returned. Something like that.

Btw the 'Adventures of Tom Bombadil' is out of print, but someone told me that you can read it in the 'Tolkien Reader'. Can anyone confirm this?

Ungoliant has made 1009 posts and is from and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

As for Tom's appeal - well, he cooks, cleans, gives her flowers and is totally under her thumb (remember when he told the hobbits that he had to rush back cos 'Goldberry is waiting'?). And he seemed faithful enough....men like that are tough to find.

Grondmaster has made 25465 posts and is a Dwarf from Glittering Caves and has sailed into the West.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

The Tolkien Reader (out of print) contains the following:

Quote:'Tolkien's Magic Ring'--an essay by Peter S. Beagle which can serve as an introduction to 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings'.

'The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son'--a short play based on The Battle of Malden , which is itself part of an epic poem about a tenth century battle.

'Tree and Leaf'--which contains Tolkien's lengthy essay, 'On Fairy-stories' and the short story, 'Leaf by Niggle'.

'Farmer Giles of Ham'--which is the short title of a story called 'The Rise and Wonderful Adventures of Farmer Giles, Lord of Tame, Count of Worminghall and King of the Little Kingdom'.

'The Adventures of Tom Bombadil'--which is a compilation of sixteen of Tolkien's poems, most of which do not appear in the 'Lord of the Rings'. It does contain all thirteen verses to 'The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late'. This was the poem that got Mr. Underhill into his Bree trouble, when he put his foot, or should I say, finger into it.

Ungoliant has made 1009 posts and is from and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

Hmm...costs about USD9.50 at the bookstore. Actually I originally saw it way before last week - but there were at least 3 copies there, but last week there was only 1 left. About 6 months or a year ago I think.

Maybe it's just the Adventures of TB that's out of print, not the entire Tolkien reader?

Grondmaster has made 25465 posts and is a Dwarf from Glittering Caves and has sailed into the West.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

Quote:Now let the song begin! let us sing togetherOf sun, stars, moon, and mist, rain and cloudy weather,Light on the budding leaf, dew on the feather, Wind on the open hill, bells on the heather,Reeds by the shady pool, lilies on the water:Old Tom Bombadil and the River-daughter!

'Fellowship of the Ring', Book 1, last page of Chapter 6 entitled the "The Old Forest"

PlasticSquirrel has made 3579 posts and is a Hobbit from Buckland and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

Oh, I remember now, Belgium invented chips didn't they? And Pringle, we like pringles....Apart from that all you've got is Plastic Bertrand musically, and he just ripped off a Damned song and did it really badly.

Grondmaster has made 25465 posts and is a Dwarf from Glittering Caves and has sailed into the West.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

Now then! Now then! What's all this?

Okay ladies! Seeing as how I can't award you a Rory for "The Most Gratuitous Use of the Word 'Belgium'* in a Serious Screenplay", forum, or food-fight, I must ask you to desist or take it to a tavern, where you can get a pint or two with which to wash it all down.

Thank you,

:moderator

*Normally spelled B*lgium in this thread. See references to Life, the Universe, and Everything elsewhere in this thread. :wink

Gnampie has made 275 posts and is a Rohirrim from Edoras and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

OK Grondy, I 'm sorry.I promise I wont say the B-word again in this topic.

About Goldberry and Tom, I never really understood them. It is still not one of my favourite parts in the story. They may be very happy, but I always felt they created some kind of fantasty world around them and didn't dare to face what was really happening, running away from problems. I always thought Frodo was stronger than Tom or Goldberry.

Grondmaster has made 25465 posts and is a Dwarf from Glittering Caves and has sailed into the West.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

Gnampie: You can say the B-word any time you like, I just think Douglas Adams picking on your nice unassuming country's name was funny. Had he picked on Iowa or Schenectady (NY) also would have been funny, just not as much. And as both you and Tommy Bomb live in that fair country, it just gave the Skwrl and me a chance to show off, even if it was at Belgium's expense.

You are right about Tom and Goldberry living in a fantasy world, oblivious to the world around them, or at least to the non-natural events taking place around them. Their strengths are different from the other beings in Middle-earth and as such, are better suited for hosts of a hostel or hospital, rather than as participants on a quest to save the world.

TomBombadillo has made 2771 posts and is an Elf from Rivendell and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 31st December 1969 (07:00pm)

Chips are usually called French Fries here, I don't know why though. We invented them! And the Belgian chocolates are famous! And our beers are great too, how many did we have again? :P Much more than you guys over in Britain, that's for sure!

Let's see about music: we have... all the ones listed by Gnampie, and... oh well, there's nothing wrong with our music! :P

LOL! I love your new status, Plastic! "Posting freak?" I think I'll be going for that one too!

You can't ask Tom or Goldberry to go on a quest. They'd never leave the Old Forest for a start, and if they did, after two days they'd have forgotten where they should be going and what for! :o Wish I had a mind like that, it's the perfect excuse! (Frodo would have loved to say this, I'm sure)

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